Post by Ripley on Feb 16, 2015 9:43:55 GMT -5
Pass The Torch: From One Prolific Broodmare To An Upcoming Blue Hen
Once upon a time, when Witch Creek Stable was known as Battle Brook Stable, they were known best for their fearsome dirt fillies. Current fan followers know Witch Creek more for their recent turf domination with both sexes and the legendary Mastermind. It was not always so. Witch Creek's first star filly was El Sol Del Mar, the princess of Year Six. El Sol Del Mar was capable of running horses off their hooves from six to twelve furlongs, a shockingly quick runner who could handle both turf and dirt. She took the Mermaid Cup, the Preakness, the Belmont and the Breeders' Cup Classic at three and looked well on her way to a brilliant older horse season. Then she got hurt.
Insert The Devil's Touch, Year Eight. The bay daughter of Touch Up and Thanks For The Memories lit the juvenile world on fire with seven victories, culminating a brilliant spectacle in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She was considered the top filly in the land and Ripley lauded her as the next great filly to take her to the top. She ran like a wild horse, shot out of a cannon with a blazing turn of foot that singed those who were nearest. The triumphant return of the filly came with two races, one an undercard race and the other the Santa Anita Derby. And that was it. Those were her last victories.
Ripley Marsh suffered a great time of pain after that Santa Anita Derby. The loss of her parents, a loss of faith in her career, knocked Ripley out of the racing world for quite sometime. The Devil's Touch was turned over to Stride of Perfection Stable, under Ripley's advice, where she finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby and second in both the Preakness and Belmont. Without her riding partner, The Devil's Touch could not recover and left the world wondering what might have been if Ripley had stayed. As a result, the big mare faded. Along with El Sol Del Mar who had already been bred to Night Stalker and foaled future Y12 Horse of the Year Eternal Phantom and G1 winner Midnight Thriller.
Akita Rose Stable's matched The Devil's Touch with Sand Storm, a turf sire, a quick year before Ripley's very timely return to the racing scene.
That foal resulted in The Devil's Hourglass, a mirror image of her dam in looks and killer speed. She upped her dam's success when she took to the turf, knocking off a stunning nine victories, including a devastating win over males in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. This was the torch from El Sol Del Mar to The Devil's Touch. Sunny had Eternal Phantom, Midnight Thriller, the invincible Mastermind, the brilliant Sun King. The Devil's Touch was just getting started.
In January Week Four, The Devil's Touch cemented her future with a three pronged attack in the Unicorn Horn Series.
The Devil's Hourglass, shaking off the cobwebs of Year Thirteen in which she took the Belmont Turf Classic and Universal Cup, fought tooth and nail for a win in the Unicorn Horn Turf Classic. Saintly Touch, second-best behind Sun King in the end of year juvenile colt awards, launched to a stirring victory in the Unicorn Horn Dirt, his second win in the series in two years. Just a race later, Incognito announced his entrance in bold fashion with a length and half win in the Unicorn Horn Juvenile Dirt.
Unlike El Sol Del Mar's foals where greatness comes naturally, it is in The Devil's Touch's offspring to battle, to gut their competition. No one can refute the heart that they show or deny their courage in the face of defeat. The Devil only has one more foal, like El Sol Del Mar, to hit the tracks. Ironically, both foals are with Intrepid Racing Stable, Witch Creek's partner in breeding the last couple years.
For the record: Lawless, Anarchi's first foal and The Devil's last, also took home a win in a prospect race here at The Wire.
